WEBVTT
HELPING, OFFICIALS SAY WE NEED
ANOTHER 30 DAYS JUST LIKE TO IT
GET BACK TO NORMAL.
>> I DON'T THINK THIS WILL PUT
US OVER THE TOP, BUT IT WON'T
HURT THE SITUATION.
REPORTER: A WET DAY IS A WELCOME
SIGHT AS MOST OF THE STATE
REMAINS IN AT LEAST A MODERATE
DROUGHT.
>> IT SEEMS WE GET NEW PEOPLE
EVERY DAY CALLING IN, THERE'S A
LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DRY
WELLS.
REPORTER: COMPANIES WORKING
AROUND THE CLOCK, DRILLING NEW
WELLS AND REPAIRING PUMP
SYSTEMS.
>> THE RAIN THAT WE RECEIVED
RECENTLY IS HELPFUL, BUT WE'RE
STILL AT A MAJOR DEFICIT
OVERALL.
REPORTER: ACCORDING TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
SERVICES, CONDITIONS GREATLY
IMPROVED OVER THE PAST FEW
WEEKS.
MERRIMACK AND STRATFORD COUNTIES
ARE NOW COMPLETELY OUT OF THE
EXTREME DROUGHT ZONE.
COOS COUNTY IS THE ONLY AREA NOT
EXPERIENCING DROUGHT, JUST
ABNORMALLY DRY CONDITIONS.
>> EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE IS
IN A DEFICIT AS FAR AS ANNUAL
PRECIPITATION, ANYWHERE FROM
OVER FIVE INCHES OF RAIN TO OVER
SEVEN INCHES OF A DEFICIT.
REPORTER: DESPITE IMPROVEMENTS,
RESIDENTS STILL URGED TO
CONSERVE WATER AS A LARGE PART
OF THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO
START WINTER IN A A VOTER
DROUGHT.
>> WHEN THE GROUND FREEZES IN
THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER, WHATEVER
THEY HAVE IN THEIR WELLS IS WHAT
THEY'LL HAVE AVAILABLE.
REPORTER: IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO
DRILL A NEW WELL --
MANY COMPANIES HAVE A WAIT LIST.
D.E.S. IS URGING ANYONE AFFECTED
BY THIS DROUGHT TO CONTACT THEM
FOR ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS SOMETHING NOT EVERYONE
WANTS TO HEAR, THEY SAY WE WANT
TO GET BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS,
WE'LL NEED A SLOWY WET WINTER

The recent weather is starting to have some effect on the drought in New Hampshire, but officials said it’s still important to conserve water.

About 20 percent of the state was under extreme drought conditions in late September. About 5 percent of the state is currently under extreme drought.

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Officials at the Department of Environmental Services said the state isn’t out of the woods yet. Significant rain in the southern part of the state has made a big difference, but officials warned that the drought will continue through the winter.

"Usually, we get the recharge in the fall, and that will help to alleviate drought situations, but right now, we’re going to be heading into the wintertime in a severe drought situation, and people need to understand that they need to conserve their groundwater because there’s not going to be new recharge helping their wells," said Jim Martin of DES.

Martin said that anyone affected by the drought can visit the DES website to fill out a survey to help officials track needs across the state.